Drug test decision a blow to Bray

Olympic swimming hopeful and Commonwealth medallist Trent Bray has been dealt another blow in his battle to clear his name of drug cheating charges.

The High Court at Auckland yesterday quashed an earlier decision by a district court judge, who said the drug-testing procedures used on Bray's urine sample were faulty.

The New Zealand Sports Drug Agency appealed against this decision, saying Bray's urine sample was handled properly before a Sydney laboratory found traces of the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone in it.

Bray's lawyers had originally successfully argued that delays in getting the frozen urine sample to the laboratory meant the whole procedure was flawed.

The High Court has now found that the district court judge did not appropriately interpret rules relating to the transport of samples.

Bray's lawyer Peter Thorp said he disagreed with the latest decision and would decide whether to carry the case further.

He said Bray was naturally disappointed.

"It's like one step forward then two steps backward, he continues to proclaim his innocence and he will keep on fighting.

"There is an option of taking it to the Court of Appeal and there is an option of taking it to Swimming New Zealand and the surf lifesaving people with the information that we have got."

Bray had not taken anything knowingly and he had already suffered as a result of the charges.

Swimming New Zealand president Phil Pritchard said the decision was "very straightforward," as the organisation now had a valid doping infraction.

The Olympics – a Herald series

Official Sydney 2000 website